Ritucharya

1. Hemanta (Early Winter: Mid-November – Mid-January)

During Hemanta, the external cold forces the digestive fire (Agni) inward, thereby strengthening it.
Diet:Have sweet, sour, and salty-tasting food items. Consume nutritious foods, including milk items, sugarcane, fresh rice, wheat, and soups made of meats, along with fats, which are good to have.
Not to do:
Eat light, cold, and dry foods, which can cause disturbances in Vata dosha.
Routine:Take daily oleation treatment (Abhyanga) with emphasis on head massage, hot bath, body building exercises, wearing of heavy clothing, and living in a warm place.

2. Shishira (Late Winter: Mid-January to Mid-March)
It is very much like Hemanta, but the degree of cold and dryness is higher in this season.
Diet:Consume similar food as mentioned in Hemanta, but emphasise warm food.
Lifestyle:Stay in windless, warm surroundings. Continue oil massage and warm clothing. Cold exposure, daytime sleep, and excessive wind should be avoided.

3. Vasanta (Spring: Mid-March – Mid-May)
With an increase in warmth, Kapha, formed during the previous season, starts melting. This results in poor digestion, making one feel heavy and congested.
Diet:Prefer bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes. Light foods such as old barley, wheat, honey, and roasted meats are suitable.
Avoid:Heavy, sweet, sour, oily, cold foods, and new grains.
Lifestyle:Vamana (emesis) and Nasya (nasal medication) may be advised as cleansing measures. Exercise, dry massage, and the use of sandalwood or camphor paste are helpful. Day sleep should be strictly avoided.

4. Grishma (Summer: Mid-May – Mid-July)
This period is the season when the heat is intense and bodily strength tends to decline gradually. Vata increases, while Kapha becomes reduced.
Diet:Choose sweet, light, unctuous, and liquid foods. Fruit juices, coconut water, cold milk with sugar, and meat soups from animals of dry regions are beneficial.
Avoid:Excessively salty, pungent, and sour foods, overexertion and alcohol.
Lifestyle:
Stay in cool, shaded places, near water or in soothing surroundings. Day sleep is permitted in this season.

5. Varsha (Rainy Season: Mid-July – Mid-September)
During this season, digestion becomes weak because of humidity and environmental instability. Agni is at its lowest.
Diet:Prefer sour, salty, and unctuous foods. Old grains such as wheat, rice, and barley are suitable. Honey and properly boiled, cooled water are recommended.
Avoid:River water, excessive fluids, and heavy meals that are difficult to digest.
Lifestyle:
Vasti (enema) is often beneficial in regulating Vata. Keep the body dry, wear shoes, and avoid getting drenched. Exercise, daytime sleep, and exposure to dampness should be limited.

6. Sharad (Autumn: Mid-September – Mid-November)
In the autumn, the strong sun can suddenly aggravate Pitta.
Diet:Choose sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes to pacify Pitta. Rice, green gram, sugar candy, amla, and honey are beneficial.
Avoid:Fats, oils, curds, hot foods, sour foods, and pungent foods.
Lifestyle:
Hamsodaka — water purified by the sun and moon is recommended for drinking and bathing. Moonlight in the evenings, sandalwood paste, Virechana and Raktamokshana are recommended to those having excess Pitta upon assessing their eligibility.